WillSushyMedia This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Ogosmith Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Bessie Smyth Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Marva It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Jackson Booth-Millard The actress who starred in Camille and Ninotchka only acted in twenty eight films and retired at the age of thirty five, and this is one of her most quintessential and famous roles, from director Rouben Mamoulian (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde). Basically, set in the 17th Century, in Sweden in the year 1632 during the Thirty Years' War six year old Christina ascends the throne, and growing into an adult Christina (Greta Garbo) often dresses as a man for a more authoritarian appearance, and has a love for literature and the arts. Massive casualties on both sides of the war are happening as it rages on, and despite the Swedish side seemingly winning, the Queen would rather have peace, and at the same time her loyal subjects have her love life on their minds and know that there should be an heir to ensure longevity of the nation. Christina is believed and seemingly assured that she will marry the hero of the battles in the war Prince Charles Gustavus (Reginald Owen), but the Lord Treasurer Count Magnus (Ian Keith) makes the mistake in the believing he can have the queen, but she is not pursuing love to pay attention to fighting the war. But she changes her mind the visiting Spanish envoy Antonio (John Gilbert) who works for King Philip of Spain, they meet in a snowbound inn, and with their forced time together they fall in love, but he has no idea who she is. When he does find out they have to decide if their relationship can work within the constraints of their duties, and the troubles for him and Christina increase when Count Magnus, who wants the Queen for himself, gets the public on his side to uprise against her love interest in the name of patriotism. Also starring Lewis Stone as Chancellor Oxenstierna, Elizabeth Young as Ebba Sparre, C. Aubrey Smith as Aage, Georges Renavent as French Ambassador, Gustav Von Seyffertitz as General and David Torrence as Archbishop. I will be honest and say that I drifted in a few moments, especially with all the political stuff, and I agree with the critics it is a bit of a slow pace throughout, but the love story going on is interesting, Garbo is of course the biggest reason to see this film, to see her looking beautiful and being all noble and dignified, overall it still a worthwhile historical romantic drama. Very good!

rgcustomer The most I could reasonably give this 1933 film is a 7/10, if it had been executed well, but it was not in two important ways.But I should recommend it for its good point, which is a good and seemingly accurate scene of abdication, which is I think a rarity for film. The rest of the story is interesting, but lacks emotion.The film's first half fails utterly, because we're supposed to believe that this woman can pass for a man if she wants to. In real life, Christina was intersexed and/or lesbian. She not only could pass if she wanted, but is reported to have been very masculine anyway, and courted women. The actress portraying her here is not just feminine, but also made up to retain that feminine look, even in male garb. And the character is shown having an interest in men, which is not representative of her usual desires. So my main two problems with the film are that the character doesn't reflect the historical person, and is in any case not believable (nor are any of the characters who are fooled by her dressed as a man).The second half is more interesting because it gets into the personal cost of being a royal. But a further problem here is that the real issue wasn't about loving a Spanish man, but about her conversion to Catholicism, and her spending. I didn't count this against the film as it already wandered too far into fiction in the first half.This film is worth a remake by a more competent team today. I have not seen The Abdication (1974) but that film may be worth viewing as well.

bkoganbing Never was Greta Garbo more regal on the screen than when she played an actual monarch and countryperson of her's. Even though this film is hardly the story of the real Queen Christina of Sweden it is still a wonderful showcase for the talents of Greta Garbo.Young Christina as played here by Cora Sue Collins before she grows up to be Garbo assumes the throne of Sweden after her father Gustavus Adolphus is killed on the battlefield of Lutzen in the Thirty Years War. As this was his only legitimate child, Gustavus Adolphus instructed that she be brought up with the advantages of being a man had. She learned the arts of war as would befit the daughter of a conquering king, but she received quite the classical education far beyond what any woman would normally receive.Lewis Stone plays Count Oxenstierna who was her father's first minister and during her minority was the regent ruler of Sweden. He supervises her education, but when she starts spouting some heretical ideas, he's quite concerned.The problem of succession and marriage plague Christina just as they plagued Elizabeth of England in the last century. But she handled it differently with disastrous results.Which brings me to the film itself. This whole story line about Christina falling for the Spanish ambassador is total fiction. But the part of Don Antonio was to be John Gilbert's big comeback on the screen after his voice failed to register well in the very early talkies and his career went right into the toilet.Gilbert's voice did register well and his performance isn't bad. But sad to say that time had moved on and MGM was investing in new leading men like Clark Gable, Robert Montgomery, William Powell, etc. It was for John Gilbert just too late.The real Christina went into exile for religion rather than love, that scenario would be played out for real in the United Kingdom in a few years. Among the heretical ideas that Christina with the education embraced was Roman Catholicism. Not a good idea where the nation had embraced Lutheranism, courtesy of Gustavus Adolphus. She got a golden parachute though, unusual for deposed royalty back in those days. She kept her considerable personal estates in Sweden and twice went back to visit during her exile. It was hardly what Mary Queen of Scots got back in the previous century.Though the story is fiction, it's also romance to the nines with Garbo a regal and alluring Queen Christina.

angelofvic If you really want to see Garbo's greatest performance, greatest role, and greatest movie, THIS is it. This movie will delight you thoroughly, tug at your heartstrings, and leave you helplessly bedazzled by the greatest actress of her age.There isn't a false note or wasted moment in this masterpiece of a film. John Gilbert, Garbo's true love in real life, plays her beloved in this movie. Both stars create fireworks and warmth, and both conjure up an unforgettable screen romance.Forget all the slick CGI flicks and the thin, over-hyped blockbusters endlessly served up to audiences today. This movie grabs you from the very first scene, and never lets you go. Garbo's power and presence and brilliant acting dominate the film and make a thrilling story even more memorable.You won't regret watching this film -- I guarantee that!